Murfreesboro site's plaintiffs will receive $252 to $5,808

Oct. 10, 2013

Written by

Jamie McGee

The Tennessean

Amazon.com workers at the Murfreesboro facility who filed a federal lawsuit last month concerning unpaid time spent on security screenings accepted offers Wednesday to resolve their claims.

The payments, offered by defendants Amazon.com, an affiliated Amazon.com LLC and staffing agency SMX LLC, who operates at the facility, range from $252 to $5,808, depending on how long each employee worked at the facility, according to court documents.

In the lawsuit, plaintiffs Dollie Suggars, Kenya McGaughy and Sarah Dickson, who work at the facility, claimed they were required to complete “lengthy” security screenings after punching out, which could take more than 10 or 15 minutes of unpaid time. The plaintiffs were joined by 11 other former employees who worked at the facility, according to court documents.

Amazon and SMX did not return calls for comment.

“We are pleased that these pay disputes have been resolved so quickly, and that our clients have secured the wages owed to them,” said Dave Garrison, an attorney at Barrett Johnston who represents the plaintiffs, along with Dresher, Pa.-based Winebrake & Santillo. “We are continuing to fight for Amazon workers who allege they have not been paid for all time worked, including workers in Middle Tennessee.”

The lawsuit, brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee in Nashville before Judge Aleta Trauger.

Reach Jamie McGee at 615-259-8071 or jmcgee@tennessean.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @jamiemcgee_.